By Michael Stelzner
Have you ever been asked to write a white paper about a topic that is completely foreign to you? If not, you most certainly will. This article will help you set your foot down the right path.
How can you write about something when you have little or no topical expertise? The good news is a competent writer can write about anything and an expert is typically not the best person to write a white paper.
The art of writing is really translation. If you can take a challenging topic and distill it into palatable words that your reader can understand, you are well on your way. I have written about some of the most challenging topics, ranging from artificial intelligence to surgical equipment sanitation. If I can do this, so can you. With the exception of legal and ultra-scientific topics, there’s no reason why a capable writer cannot write a white paper on nearly any topic.
The challenge is being perceived as an expert by your ideal readers.
How can you write so a niche reader-say, a CEO of a manufacturer or a director of marketing at a major retailer-thinks you know your stuff; even if you have zero experience in manufacturing or marketing?
The answer lies in your ability to ask questions and perform research. If you have access to experts and are meticulous about your project, you will most certainly be closer to the goal.
The first key is to clearly identify your ideal reader, down to an actual job title and type of business. If you do your job right, you will end up with something very specific, such as an IT manager working for a small business in the financial services industry that is relying on Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server. Once you know who to write to, you are heading down the right path.
The next step is to have direct access to content specialists. These experts tend to wear different hats depending on the size of your business or client. For example, the content expert might be a product manager, sales director, engineer, executive or outside analyst. Once you have identified a key expert or two, use those experts as your sounding board throughout the entire process.
Be sure to ask your expert for recommended reading to ramp up your knowledge on the topic. This may include existing white papers or articles from a few trade publication websites. Ask about key descriptive words or catch-phrases that are used in the industry by your ideal reader.
For example, if you are writing about liposuction, ask whether the titles plastic surgeon, cosmetic surgeon or simply doctor are preferred most by readers. The key here is to use terms in a way that would be appropriate if you were actually the expert writing to your peers.
As you go through the process of establishing your outline, be sure to have it approved and sanitized by your content expert. Walk through that outline verbally with the expert and ask him or her, “Will this resonate with our target readers?” Experts are often busy and like to process things over email. It is important to get one-on-one time with these folks and ask them to carefully consider if your points are relevant.
As you begin your interviewing process, it is wise to talk to actual customers who are the ideal readers. If you arrange time with them on the phone, you should explain that you are not an expert on the topic and want to ask them some questions related to their expertise. Most times, if you can get access to customers, they will be thrilled to talk to you. You can use their comments to add strength to your document. Also, consider asking them to review your draft.
When you perform your research, be sure to read many articles and papers that were written to the same target reader. This will help you understand the common language used when writing to this type of person. You also might want to look at a competitor’s solution for valuable context.
The review cycle will be critical. Make sure all of your experts spend quality time examining your paper for relevancy to the target reader. Do not be disappointed when changes come about.
By following these simple steps, your paper will appear as if it was written by a topical expert.
About the author: Michael Stelzner is the author of the forthcoming book Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged
DISCUSSION: Discuss this topic at the WhitePaperSource forum.
